Management Apparatus, Management Method, and Computer-Readable Medium

1. A management apparatus for managing one or a plurality of devices connected to a network, the apparatus comprising: a CPU coupled to a memory and programmed to provide: a management unit configured to manage information of each device, an instruction unit configured to cause a server having a function of managing a key to: implement multicast using an Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) protocol to register information of the management apparatus and information of a device, among devices managed by the management unit, caused to belong to a multicast group, and issue key information to be used in the multicast group, and a search unit configured to search for a device connected to the network; and a communication interface configured to perform multicast communication using the IPsec protocol with the device belonging to the multicast group and the key information issued by the server, wherein, when performing a search, the search unit does not perform multicast communication using the IPsec protocol.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the management unit manages information of a function of the device, and wherein the instruction unit designates the multicast group to which a device belongs for each function of the device, and causes the server to issue the key information to be used in the multicast group for each function.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the CPU is further programmed to provide a setting unit configured to set, for each multicast group to which a device belongs for each function of the device, the multicast communication using the IPsec protocol in one of: an enable state and a disable state.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instruction unit causes the server to update the key information to be used in the multicast group if a device belonging to the multicast group has changed.

5. A management apparatus for managing one or a plurality of devices connected to a network, the apparatus comprising: a CPU coupled to a memory and programmed to provide: a management unit configured to manage information of each device and information of a device group to which the device belongs, an instruction unit configured to cause a server having a function of managing a key to: designate a multicast group to which a device belongs for each device group, implement multicast using an IPsec protocol to register information of the management apparatus and information of a device, among devices managed by the management unit, caused to belong to a multicast group, and issue the key information to be used in the multicast group, and a setting unit configured to set, for each device group to which a device belongs, the multicast communication using the IPsec protocol in one of: an enable state and a disable state; and a communication interface configured to perform multicast communication using the IPsec protocol with the device belonging to the multicast group and the key information issued by the server.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the CPU is further programmed to provide a determination unit configured to determine whether the multicast communication using the IPsec protocol is enabled between the management apparatus and a device, and wherein, if the determination unit determines that the multicast communication using the IPsec protocol is disabled, the communication interface communicates with each device using Simple Network Management Protocol Version 3 (SNMPv3).

7. A management method of a management apparatus for managing one or a plurality of devices connected to a network, the method comprising steps of: managing information of each device; causing a server having a function of managing a key to: implement multicast using an IPsec protocol to register information of the management apparatus and information of a device, among managed devices, caused to belong to a multicast group, and issue key information to be used in the multicast group; performing multicast communication using the IPsec protocol with the device belonging to the multicast group and the key information issued by the server; and searching for a device connected to the network, wherein during the searching the multicast communication using the IPsec protocol is not performed.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program that when executed causes a computer to perform a management method of a management apparatus for managing one or a plurality of devices connected to a network, the method comprising steps of: managing information of one or a plurality of devices connected to a network; causing a server having a function of managing a key to: implement multicast using an IPsec protocol to register information of the computer and the information of a device, among managed devices, caused to belong to a multicast group, and issue key information to be used in the multicast group; performing multicast communication using the IPsec protocol with the device belonging to the multicast group and the key information issued by the server; and searching for a device connected to the network, wherein during the searching the multicast communication using the IPsec protocol is not performed.

9. A management method of a management apparatus for managing one or a plurality of devices connected to a network, the method comprising steps of: managing information of each device and information of a device group to which the device belongs; causing a server having a function of managing a key to: designate a multicast group to which a device belongs for each device group, implement multicast using an IPsec protocol to register information of the management apparatus and the information of a device, among managed devices, caused to belong to a multicast group, and issue the key information to be used in the multicast group; performing multicast communication using the IPsec protocol with the device belonging to the multicast group and the key information issued by the server; and setting, for each device group to which a device belongs, the multicast communication using the IPsec protocol in one of: an enable state and a disable state.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program that when executed causes a computer to perform a management method of a management apparatus for managing one or a plurality of devices connected to a network, the method comprising steps of: managing information of each device and information of a device group to which the device belongs; causing a server having a function of managing a key to: designate a multicast group to which a device belongs for each device group implement multicast using an IPsec protocol to register information of the computer and the information of a device, among managed devices, caused to belong to a multicast group, and issue the key information to be used in the multicast group; performing multicast communication using the IPsec protocol with the device belonging to the multicast group and the key information issued by the server; and setting, for each device group to which a device belongs, the multicast communication using the IPsec protocol in one of: an enable state and a disable state.